Some Dusty Things
by DearJanuary
Summary: Jay and Jimmy are older now, can they finally set their differences aside? Read & Review, please!
1. Some Dusty Things

**Some Dusty Things**

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Degrassi or the Degrassi characters.

The arena was jam-packed with people, noise and the pure feeling of electricity. The Merrymont Trojan's had been having an unbelievable season when it came to basketball. They were undefeated and it was all thanks to their star player Wes Brooks. He'd come from a long line of success when it came to basketball. His dad had been his high school basketball star up until his "incident", his grandpa had been pretty talented at ball, too, and he had heard that his great grandpa wasn't half bad, either.

Jimmy Brooks sat by the Trojan's team bench and watched with wild eyes as his son glided across the court towards the net. He could carry the team if he had to.

"Your sons a damn talent, Brooks." A man behind him on the bleachers, patted his back and told Jimmy with an impressed grin.

"Yeah." Jimmy couldn't take much credit for it. He and Wes played a lot of ball just in the driveway since Wes was old enough to hold a ball but, Jimmy never drove Wes the way his dad had forced him. Still, Jimmy was proud and the whole stadium could tell.

"Yeah, with your son and mine on the team this year, the Trojan's are sure to win, eh?" An eeiry sort of voice spoke over the excitement to Jimmy and all at once, he was distracted. He glanced behind him and as plain as the day is long, Jay Hogart was sitting on the bleacher's next to the man, wearing the same Chesire Cat grin he had in high school and his ball cap backwards. "It's been awhile, Brooks, how you been?" Jay leaned foreward and chuckled.

Both Jimmy and Jay were older now, Jay had changed for better but, Jimmy still had no desire to converse with him. With sour eyes, Jimmy just turned around and tried to focus back on the game.

Jay couldn't believe it. They were adults now, how could he not put high school behind them? With a large inward sigh, Jay jumped the bar and took a seat on the bench next to one of the players and Jimmy.

"Hey," Jimmy snapped, he was watching the game with fury in his eyes but talking directly at Jay. "The bench is for players."

"What have you been doing with your life lately?" Jay completely ignored Jimmy and moved on. "I hear you've been practing law, what firm?"

"Steinbach and Deloitte." Jimmy grumbled.

"Fancy." Jay commented, mildly impressed. "I'm still busting my ass working on cars at the autobody shop, thanks for asking." Jay had changed but, he was still a cheeky bastard.

"I'm not surprised." Jimmy rolled his eyes partially and shook his head. After a moment, he finally slid his eye contact up at Jay. "Why are you even here?" Jimmy had been coming to the Trojan basketball games since Wes was on the Junior Varisty team, two years ago and he'd never had a run in with Jay Hogart before.

"There's a jersey with the name Hogart on the back of it on the court, isn't there?" He leaned back to make himself comfortable and nodded out at the court. Jimmy scanned his eyes around and sure enough, the cinnamon haired kid tossing the ball to Wes had Hogart written across his jersey.

"Jesse's your son?"

"One hundred percent." Jay smiled over at Jimmy. "I never thought I, of all people, would have a cheerleader but, you see the one second to the left," Jay nodded over at the cluster of cheerleader's all dolled up in their red and black uniforms. "She's doing a diaognal."

Jimmy didn't know why but, he was actually interested to see who Jay's kids were. He wanted to double check they were nothing like their dad was in high school. Jimmy spotted the girl he was talking about and realized he'd met her before.

"Tristan?"

"You know her?"

"Last year, their was a party after one of the games at our place, most of the cheerleaders were there."

"Yeah, I don't endorse the cheerleading, that's all her mom but, she's crazy about it. I won't stand in her way."

"I know what you mean. I never told Wes that he had to be great at basketball or that he even had to do it. I was trying to sell him on the idea of art school but, the games his life." Jimmy didn't even realize how he'd wheeled closer to Jay and the two men were really talking. They were talking about something they had in common: An unconditional love for their kids.

"Sorry, I'm late!" The sound of heels clicking against the slick gym floor, Ashley rushed her way over and bent down to give her husband a kiss on the lips. "I couldn't reschedule my three o'clock, what have I missed?" Ashley took a seat next to Jimmy and waited for him to fill her in with how many points Wes had scored and how badly the other team was being creamed. She wore a smile from ear to ear.

"Jay and I were just talking about how all our kids are really involved in the game." Jimmy chuckled.

"Jay?" Ashley leaned foreward and stared with a look of uncertainty plainly written on her face. "What are you doing here?" She asked with no hint of warmth in her voice.

Before, Jay could answer, Jimmy chimmed in.

"His sons on the team, his daughter's on the squad." He kept his wife up to speed.

"How nice." Ashley didn't like the idea of her husband befriending Jay Hogart. Not after all the history there.

Jay could feel the ice from Ashley and usually he'd love to provoke anybody but, not tonight. He was trying to put his life back on the right road. He stood up with a stretch in his arms and patted Jimmy on the shoulder.

"I'll see you around." He let him know. Jimmy just nodded up at him in agreement. "Nice to see you again, Ashley."

She just squinted her eyes at him and faked a smile without trying to make it look sincere.

He climbed back over the railing and took his previous seat behind Jimmy and the team.

"Hey Jim?" Jay called back out after the buzzer was called for the first half.

Jimmy turned around, Ashley followed suit.

Jay didn't even bother to take notice to her, this was something between he and Jimmy and nobody else. It was something he felt he had to do.

"I'm sorry." Jay left it at that and with a comforting expression on his face and the knowledge of what he meant, Jimmy just nodded.


	2. Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

_DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Degrassi because think of the mega bucks, I'd be rolling in but, I don't. I just own the characters I made up such as Jesse, Tristan, Wes and Gia. _

**Chapter Two: Who I Am Hates Who I've Been**

Standing in the kitchen facing the counter, Tristan waited for her bread to make the transformation into toast. Anxiously, she spread her arms out and clapped them together in routine, going over the new cheer routine in position. Jay came down the stairs with a loud bear-like yawn as he wiped all the sleep out of his eyes. He was exhausted, he'd only managed to sleep through three hours of the night and he spent the rest of the time, tossing and turning and reciting his past in his mind. Was he as horrible as his memory led him to believe? Growing up, he thought he had an excuse for being the way he was, wayward and careless but, maybe there never was any excuse at all. Plus, his wife being out all night made it the bed a little colder than usual which made sleep even harder to grasp.

"You're like an Energizer bunny, babe." Jay laughed between yawning and tapped his daughter's head while passing her to get to the fridge. 

"If I don't memorize this, Dad, Breanne will have my head on the chopping block." Tristan explained while twirling out of a diagonal. Jay watched her while he shook the carton of soon-to-be expired Minute Maid orange juice viciously. His eyes were still a little glazed over while he widened them to listen to her. "And that might not sound too severe but, I kind of like my head. I got Mom's eyes and killer highlights."

Without a doubt in the world, Jay loved everything about his daughter but, most days he couldn't understand how she was his. The only thing the two had in common was a love for crossword puzzles and the same crooked grin. It was a miracle they never butt heads but, Tristan was too much of a peppy peacemaker to allow that to ever happen.

As if on cue, Tristan's toast popped up, smelling just as golden as it was. She quickly threw both pieces onto the plate before burning her hands and then sashayed all the way to their small kitchen table that was covered in mail, newspaper articles, work papers and items that nobody had claimed yet. 

"Tristan," Jay coughed up and carried his glass of orange juice over to the table to where his daughter was munching on a bite of the toast she'd spread grape jelly on and searching for the word games in the newspaper with her free hand. "I've got a strange question for you." She froze in her spot and slowly let her deeper than chocolate brown eyes beam into his. Her whole face was washed pale and shook with a worried expression. "It's about..."

"Before you continue, you know we learn about this kind of stuff in Health, right?" Tristan rushed to say.

"What?" Jay's eyes furrowed the way his old friend Sean Cameron's did when they were teenagers. "Wait, no. Tristan, no. That's not what I want to talk to you about," He downed a large gulp of orange juice quickly. Tristan relaxed again and went back to eating her breakfast.

"Thank God." She said between bites.

"Should we have that talk?"

"Dad, no!" She squealed. 

"Alright, No, I wanted to ask you about Wes Brooks."

"What about him?"

"Do you know him well? Would you say you two are friends?" He searched. 

"Not really." She shrugged her shoulders casually. "He's really nice and besides Jesse, he's the only kid that can dunk on the team but, I don't know. We've never actually hung out. Well, there was a basketball wind up at his house once but, we didn't hang out." Tristan had the gift of gab and could ramble on. Her dad had managed to make himself two slices of whole wheat toast while she yammered on. "I'd like to get to know him. Everyone says he's about as sweet as candy corn," She grinned at the thought of the treat. "But, Jesse would beat Breanne to chopping my head off if he ever saw me even so much as give Wes a high five."

That particular bit of information caught Jay's attention and he headed back to the table with his breakfast to take a seat and face his young daughter. 

"Why? They don't get along?" Jay pressed for gossip.

"Not really." She pat her two hands together to shake away all the toast crumbs. "Jesse rolls with a different crowd."

"But, they work so well together on the court."

"Yeah, it ends there." She wiped her hands off on her black nylons and pushed up out of her seat. "Anyways, as nice as this conversation is, Dad, I've got to catch the bus." She carried her plate to the sink and gave her Dad a quick morning kiss.

"See you, Tris."

"See you!" She called while leaving the kitchen to gather up her backpack and slip on a pair of flats. 

Jay sat alone in his messy kitchen and toyed with his own thoughts. Had he unintentionally raised a sequel to himself? Was Jesse the new Jay Hogart? His son had secluded himself away from the family after the age of thirteen but, Gia and Jay decided that was just what teenage boys do, Jay did that. Tristan was hardly ever at home and he'd come home plenty of times past curfew or snuck out. Jay always laid the law down and grounded him but, that never stopped Jesse from living his life on his own terms. Clearly, punishment was the best way to discipline Jesse and Jay knew he was losing control. These days, Gia was busy with work which Jay tried to never hold against her. He could fathom that she was the creative director of Canada's number one health and fitness magazine and that required a lot of attention. Jay bestowed it upon himself to change Jesse's path but, he knew it meant he'd have to set some kind of example.

Jay Hogart's days never blended into one another. Raising two kids, working at the autobody shop and living a life of many faucets always had him on his toes. So, it wasn't unusual for him to do the unusual. On his lunch break, he drove out of their neighborhood and over to a large brown brick building that he knew he could find his wife inside, standing frazzled over a glass table with three other puzzled people going over photos and layouts that all looked identical to Jay. He clenched the paper McDonald's bag in his hand and walked through the sea of busy buzzing people and turned all the corners until he found himself knocking on the door to his wife's office.

"Come in." She called. He could see through the window that she hadn't even looked up. She was standing centimeteres away from her secratary and switching papers with her. "What's up?" She shot her head up quickly, expecting to see one of her fellow colleagues standing there but, she was plenty pleased to find her husband there instead.

"I come with food." He held up the fast food bag that caused them both to smile.

"Dayna, why don't you go grab lunch?" Gia winked up at her baby faced secratary and sent her out of the office. Jay softly closed the door behind her and planted the bag on her desk. He reached foreward and met her freshly glossed lips for a kiss. Her mouth tasted like old coffee while her lips taste like sparkling bubblegum. A combonation Jayson Hogart had grown accustom to smooching. "What brings you by, hon?" Gia switched off her computer moniter and tried to focus her eyes on him but, she was pre-occupied with the new spread for April's issue.

"Well, you weren't home after Jesse's game last night and I didn't see you this morning so, either you got home at four and woke up at five or you pulled an all-nighter again?"

"Guilty." She took a large bite out of her burger. He'd ordered extra mustard on it, just as she liked it. "But, after tonight, I'll be home all the time. It's just because the new issue is out on stands tommorrow morning. Very busy. Like a giant bee." She smiled innocently and lighting up the same eyes she'd given their daughter. 

"That's alright." Jay moved on. He understood. When he first moved to a new autobody shop and was assigned new hours, she had to adjust, too. "I actually came by to see somebody else. Another girl, actually." He laughed.

"Oh yeah, anyone I know? A cutie?" Gia teased right back.

"Yeah, Paige...uh," He wasn't sure if she was still a Michaelchuk or not. Last time, he saw her she was locking lips with his high school ex-girlfriend.

"The girl from your high school?" Gia guessed, wiping mustard off her lips and reading over a file in front of her. 

"Yeah, she's the magazine's fashion consultant, right?"

"Yeah, Paige O'Shaughnessy now. She works a floor above me, do you want me to page her for you?" 

"Actually, no, I think I'll just go surprise her." Jay got up from leaning on her desk and headed to the door.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, hon?" She asked him with pure seriousness in her voice. She didn't know Paige very well but, she knew everything she could about her husband and he'd told her all about his high school life at Degrassi. 

"Don't you worry." He smiled weakly and headed back to the desk to give her one last kiss. He liked to kiss his wife like they were young again, tickling the nape of her neck with two fingers and leaving a lingering wetness on her lips. She grinned as he backed away and out of her office. 

Jay took the elevator one floor above and walked straight over to the front desk where a thin and awkward girl sat, twirling her number two pencil in her already curly blonde locks of hair while sipping pink Snapple out of a straw.

"Hi, where would one find Paige Michael...I mean, O'Shaughnessy's office?" 

"She's actually right behind you." The girl took the pencil form her curl and used it to point above Jay's shoulder. He turned around to stare at Paige only steps away from him, completely unchanged since he'd last seen her. She was holding a thick catalouge in her hand and had what looked to be a small cocktail dress thrown over her shoulder. 

"Let me get that for you!" He called at her and ran to grab the door in front of Paige.

' "Oh, thanks." She huffed and backed up. "Jay?!" Astonished, Paige searched the face of the man in front of her. He was wearing an autobody jumpsuit, had his hat on backwards and had the same devilish smile as years past. Without a doubt, Jay Hogart was standing in front of her and oddly enough, holding a door open. She knew the creative director had the same last name as him but, she just assumed it was a popular surname. "What are you doing here?" She walked through the door and huffed by him without a "Thank you".

"I came to see you." She was trying to walk as fast as she could in the new pumps she hadn't broken in yet but, he was treading right over her shadow.

"I'm busy right now." Paige knew people change and grow up but, Jay was different. The history was so thick between them and she had only kept in touch with those important to her. She saw no point in diving into a new relationship with somebody who didn't even mean two cents to her. 

"You can't squeeze me in? Not even half a second?"

"I've already given you more than that." She harshly cut around the office cubicles and found hers. Unfortuantly, there was no door to block him out but, she did know the quickest way to buzz security, if she had too.

"Paige, can't we talk like adults? We're both getting old." He joked, lightly.

"Speak for yourself." Paige shot. When Jay really took a moment to notice, it was obvious Paige cared a great deal for her physical appearance as always. Her hair was flat ironed, her make up was flawless and sheer and like any fashion consultant, she was dressed like she'd jumped off the cover of Vogue and onto the streets of Toronto. "Look, what do you want?"

"To make amens."

"It's been...over fifteen years."

"Almost two decades." He corrected.

"Why?"

"Come on, Paige, can we...just talk?"

Part Two on it's way.

I'm not a hundred percent sure where it's going. Basically, Jay's going to reunite with all the old Degrassi kids and try to apologize and make up for who he was back in the day in order to set a good example for his kids. 

Comments, reviews and all that jazz, please.


	3. Who I Am Hates Who I've Been Part Two

Chapter Three: Who I Am Hates Who I've Been

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of this. **

"Fine." Paige huffed and pulled out the small stool she had tucked under her cubicle desk.

"Great space." Jay said while adjusting himself on the small stool.

"Is that why you came by, Jay? To admire my four centimeteres work space?" She hastily said while opening a new e-mail in her inbox.

"No, actually, I just...I guess I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Paige stopped typing her sentence midway. Was she going crazy? Was the air thin up in her office? She didn't believe that she just heard Jay Hogart apologize, ecspecially to her.

"What?" Her jaw almost slapped the keyboard, it dropped so quickly. She stared at him the way children do ice cream sundaes.

"For who I was back in high school. I know it would've been hard for anyone to be a bigger tool than I was and..."

"Jay," Paige stopped him by putting up her hand. She minimized her computer screen and took a moment before speaking. "What is this all about?"

"I'm different now."

"Okay but, why are you apologizing to me? Is your wife going to fire me?!" Jumping to conclusions, Paige wigged out.

"No, no." Jay shook his head. "At least, not that I know of. I'll read your piece in tomorrow's issue and let you know." She teased. "It's just important to me that the people who knew me back then to see who I am right now."

"That's really sweet, Jay." Sheleaned foreword in her rolly chair and placed her hand on his. "I can tell you're different. Plus, I've been in Gia's office and I've seen the pictures. You're quite the family man."

"Yeah, I got two amazing kids." He blushed while looking down at his shoes.

"I'm changed, too." Paige softly admitted and Jay could tell. When he took the time to notice, she was a whole lot more compassionate than the Paige he experienced in high school. Even when she was trying to get away from him earlier, she had a kinder tone to her voice and didn't show any signs of being as forceful as she used to be. "I guess a lot of time has gone by."

"You're telling me. I wake up in the morning and I see my grandpa staring back at me in the mirror." He laughed.

"I know. If it wasn't for Botox, I'd be screwed." Paige joked.

It was like the world was spinning backwards on it's axis. Were Paige Michaelchuk, or O'Shaughnessy now, and Jay Hogart enjoying each other's company. Unfortuantly, reality ended their moment with the ring of Paige's cell phone.

"Hold on." She put up a finger and went digging through her large tote for her singing phone. "Paige O'Shaughnessy." She answered it quickly.

"Paige, hey, it's Marco!" Her best friend sounded frantic on the other end.

Paige grinned and turned to watch Jay, who was checking the time on his own cell phone. He had to be back at work in thirteen minutes.

"Marco, hon," Jay put his phone away and was suddenly interested in Paige's phone call. He'd never been nice to Marco back in high school for a very shallow reason. "What's going on?"

"I know you're busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest but, my car broke down on my way back to the office. What are the chances you could come by and pick me up?" Marco begged. She could hear his desperation through the phone. "Please, I already owe you, I know but, I'm in a crunch."

"Oh, Marco, I want to but, I have a meeting in twenty minutes. I can't miss it. I really, really can't. I could call Dylan, if you'd like."

"We're in a fight."

"What?"

"I was talking through the Oiler's game last night."

"Marco, how could you?" She teased. "But, I can't pick you up. Want me to call a tow for you?"

Bingo. Jay's light bulb went off above his head. He stood up from her stool and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hold on, hon." She said to Marco on the phone. "Yes?" She peered up at Jay as he was begining to leave her cubicle. "Oh, do you have to go? Thanks for coming by."

"No, um, I can pick Marco up. I'm on my way back to the shop, I can drive out there with a tow."

"Really?!" Paige grinned and screamed right into the phone, accidentally.

"What? Really what?" Marco felt out of the loop on the other end.

"I found someone to get you."

"Who?"

"You'll see." Paige slyly smiled. "Where are you right now?"

"On Wilkes and Bishop."

"Alright, sit tight."

"What else can I do, Paige?"

"Oh, quiet. Look, I have to jet. We're still on for dinner tommorrow, right?"

"If your brother has forgiven me by then."

"Bye, Marco." She smiled.

"Okay, thank you so much, Paige. See you." He hung up.

"Thanks, Jay, you're really helping me out."

"Meh, Marco should be the next stop on the Jay Hogart apology tour anyways."

"I imagine that's quite a sold out show." She teased.

"Yeah, you're telling me."

"Anyways, he's on Wilkes and Bishop."

"Thanks. I'll see you around, Paige." He spoke sweetly as he began to walk away.

"I hope so." She waved. "Oh, Jay," She waited for him to turn around before she continued. "Look, Marco might not be as forgiving as some. I've got my fingers crossed for you but, don't hold your breath, you know?"

"I never do." He assured her and then quickly took off.

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE.


	4. Fly

Chapter Four: Fly

Chapter Four: Fly

**DISCLAIMER: **_I don't own anything Degrassi related. The only character in this chapter I own is Tristan._

The thick autumn breeze that owned the air ripped through Marco's skin and sent shivers through out of his bones as he waited against the open hood of his car for his ride off the side of the road. He knew he should've taken his car in for a check-up last month but, he had convinced himself he was pressed for time. Plus, Dylan always said he'd take a look at it.

A sigh of relief slipped through the crack between Marco's chattering teeth when he spotted the tow truck passing him and parking in front of his stalled car. He rushed around the vehicle to meet whoever was coming out right at their door.

"Thanks so much. You're saving the day!" He exclaimed before taking a good look at who was climbing out from behind the wheel of the tow truck. "What? Paige sent you?" Marco couldn't believe it. He backed up quickly and walked away. Jay just smirked and shook his head around while going to take a look under the hood of Marco's car. "Don't touch that. Do you even know what you're doing?"

"They sort of teach you about cars in auto shop." Jay tried to keep his cool but, Marco was so frantic and hadn't welcomed him too pleasantly.

"I can't believe Paige called you. What a kidder."

"As a matter of fact, she and I had a bonding session earlier this afternoon."

"What? Did you two share a line of coke?"

"You might want to be nice to your mechanic. It helps them fix your car properly." Jay stood up straight and told Marco, directly. He waited until a clear sign that Marco was going to be quiet before returning to working under the hood.

"It's your engine. When was the last thing you got your car looked at?" He asked while tinkering around.

"A month ago." Marco lied.

"Well, wherever you took it, they definitely didn't know what they were doing."

"Can you fix it?"

"Yeah but, it'll take some time."

"How long?" Marco crossed his arms over his chest to help keep warm.

"I can't exactly time it but, it'll be at least a week." Jay reached up and slammed the hood down before going to lift the car onto the tow.

"Great." Marco wanted better news than that. He reached into his blazer pocket and took out his cell phone. He tried to get a hold of Dylan for the sixth time since his car broke down. He held the phone and waited through ten rings before the voice mail picked up.

"Do you need a ride to work?" Jay offered kindly while watching Marco's car climb up onto the back of his work's truck.

"No!" Marco quickly said. The very sight of Jay Hogart still made Marco's stomach turn like it did when they were bratty teenagers but, after a moment of thinking to himself, Marco swallowed his pride. "Yes, please." He rolled his eyes and cursed himself silently.

"Climb in." Jay smiled and tilted his head in the direction of his truck and Marco bustled around and jumped into the passenger seat.

"Oh, Marco, what are you doing?" As if he was in high school again, Marco worried that maybe Jay was going to skin him and leave his body face down in a ditch.

"So, where am I taking you?" Jay asked while turning his keys in the ignition.

"Fermore Agencies on Stafford." Marco clung to his side of the truck and stared out the window. He avoided any kind of contact with Jay, including eye.

"You're an accountant?" Jay chuckled.

"Why is that funny?" He averted his eyes to the side but still kept to himself.

"I just didn't think of you as a bean counter."

"I'm not boring and it's not a boring job." He defended himself strongly.

"I wouldn't imagine so. I don't think I could ever work with money like that anyways."

"Too tempted to pocket it?" Marco snarled. Of course, Marco was still the same sweetheart he had been when walking the halls of Degrassi, but with Jay he was highly defenses. He never let his guard down for a moment.

"You know, I'm not the same person I was when I was seventeen, just like you aren't the same person as you used to be." Jay tried to make amends. He understood what Paige was getting at before.

"I believe that, but that doesn't change anything that happened."

"I am sorry, Marco, I am." Jay said while driving and trying to keep his eyes on the road so Marco couldn't see how tender Jay was capable of being.

"That's nice."

"Come on, man, I'm trying here."

"Try harder."

Jay took a deep breath and searched his head for something they'd both be interested in or be able to find some common ground with.

"So, I read that bacon actually comes from the testicle of the male pig. That was on yesterday." He tried to say without grossing himself out. He checked out of his peripherals if that caught Marco's attention.

"That's disgusting." Simply, Marco said, trying not to throw up in his throat.

"Yeah. Thing is, I don't think I'll stop eating it. It tastes good."

"Why are we talking about this?"

"Just trying to get to know you."

"Well, here's a glimpse into my life, Jay, I don't eat a whole lot of pig's testicles."

"It's all a matter of choice, I guess." He chuckled.

Unfortunately, Jay couldn't cross Marco off his list of people to make amends with. Clearly, Marco was going to take some time, but Jay was prepared to work on him. He knew not everybody would be happy to just forgive and forget with a big bear hug. He turned into the parking lot of Marco's work place.

"Alright, thanks for the ride." For the first time in their half hour together, Marco quickly let his eyes view Jay's.

"Yeah. Someone will give you a call today about your car."

"Awesome, thanks."

"See ya." He gave Marco a friendly wave but, he just slammed the door quickly and rushed inside to work.

Tristan was hunched over the front desk of the auto body shop where she worked for extra cash. She held her chin up with her fist and read over her textbook while the clang and clamor of men working on cars and tossing around tools filled the air around her, as well as grungy music from the auto body's stereo. She could tune all the background noise out easily and concentrate on her History homework but, when the door of the auto body shop slammed as severely as it did when Ashley Brooks stomped in, she shot straight up and shook.

"Oh, hi, Mrs. Brooks." Tristan recognized Wes's mom from all the basketball games. Ashley just stomped right by her and walked through the busy shop without a care. She found Jay in the back, working under the hood of Marco's car.

"Put a leash on your son, Hogart!" She shouted as she tapped his shoulder with a vicious hit.

"What?" He slithered from out of the hood and wiped his hand against his forehead, leaving a thick stain of grease on his skin. "Oh, Ashley, to what do I owe the pleasure."

"Your son punched mine today at school."

"What? You sure it was my son?" He checked.

"Yes, Jesse Hogart, same last name, same unwashed hair, same crude mouth, and same sucker punch."

"Sounds like my son." Jay tried to handle the confrontation lightly. She was clearly overreacting enough for the both of them. A few of the other mechanics in the shop stood around and chuckled at the sight of Ashley yelling at Jay.

"You're lucky he's not expelled or anything. One more stint like this and I'll have him out of that school so fast, you won't be able to blink."

"I can't wait. We should do this again."

Now, Jay had no problem apologizing to anybody from his past that he caused any sort of pain to but, Ashley, he just couldn't manage to take her seriously. It was important to him that he got all of Jimmy's forgiveness but, he truly wished he'd put a muzzle on his wife. He wanted to see the good in Ashley, but she never let it show in front of Jay.

"Bye, Mrs. Brooks!" Tristan waved as Ashley stormed past her and left the shop.

"Tris," Jay called from the car he was working on. He headed over to the desk Tristan was working at, cleaning his hands off on a cloth. "When I asked you what happened at school today earlier, did you purposely leave out that your brother punched out Wes Brooks?"

"You bet." Tristan nodded while flipping the page in her textbook.

"Good girl." He looked back and wondered how to handle this one. He was trying to clean up his past to set a good example for his son but, clearly he was going to have to work a lot harder. "What was it about, do you know?"

"Something stupid, probably. Wes and Jesse have never seen eye to eye." Tristan blew a few stray hairs out of her face and told her father, candidly. "I think Jesse feels he's got something to prove. He said it's all about living up to the Hogart name or something." She shrugged and shook her head, sweetly.

It was a harsh blow to hear that but, Jay couldn't let it go.

"Oh man." He lifted his ball cap off his head and ran one hand through his whole head of hair. "Alright, can you call those numbers for me?" Jay pointed to the work computer next to her that had a list of a few names of people who's automobiles had come into the shop earlier.

"Sure." Tristan pushed her book away and picked up the phone. She read off the top number and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Marco Del Rossi."

"Hey, Marco Del Rossi from Degrassi?" She asked with so much pep in her voice, Marco could've guessed she was a cheerleader.

"Yes, who is this?" He asked while sifting through lists of numbers on his office desk.

"I'm Tristan Hogart. My dad says you're, like, the most fashionable person to walk the earth. I'm calling about your car but, since I've got you on the line, tell me what you think about bubble hems?" She leaned foreword against the desk and asked him, genuinely. Neither Jay or Gia knew where Tristan got it from, but she had the gift of gab and always used it.

"I can't say they're very flattering. I've never seen a girl pull it off."

"Agreed but, the cutest dresses have them attached and they're so expensive to get altered."

"Yeah, I wouldn't know." Marco had never purchased a dress for anyone besides his mother, so he'd never had to take one to a tailor. "Anyways, about my car?"

"Oh yeah, it'll be ready in about a week. I've got a number for a car rental place we work with, if you need it."

"No, that won't be necessary, thanks. How much is all this going to cost?" He held his head and asked. He prayed that it would be somewhat affordable.

"Let me see." Tristan clicked on his name on the computer and read over the summary. "It says it's been taken care of." She squinted. "That's weird. I guess, the shops covering it."

"What?" Marco said. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It could be a computer error, Mr. Del Rossi but, if somebody is willing to install a new engine in your car for free, don't question it, just accept it."

"I guess your right."

"Someone will drive your car over to you by the end of the week."

"Great. Thank you very much."

"Have a good day. Thank you for choosing our shop." Marco could hear how bright her grin was from over the phone.

Fly - Nick Drake

Read and Review, please!!


	5. Square One

Chapter Five: Square One

Chapter Five: Square One

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Degrassi. I just own Gia, Jesse, Wes and, Tristan.

It was when he came home to a house full of ruckus that Jay questioned how he had ever transformed from jackass to decent human being. He could hear all the noise, from inside the small bungalow that he called home, while standing at the end of his driveway.

Tristan had arrived home a half hour before him after work and already she was practicing he routine in her bedroom. A dance medley was booming out bass and beats at such a large level that the Hogart's walls were pounding.

Gia stood in the living room with her work suit still fully on, her cell phone and blackberry both singing frantically and buzzing on their messy coffee table that was planted in front of the television that had Alec Trebek loudly asking questions on it. Gia was frazzled, shouting at her son. This was a new sight to Jay. Gia was somebody who was born professional. He was pretty sure she knew how to work a pager by the time she was three. She could write an article before she could actually verbally form words. However, Jesse was dishing it all back.

"Jesse, I came all the way down here from work. Don't just shrug your shoulders when I ask you a question!" She shouted above the noise.

"Oh sorry, I'm cramping your style. I'm only your son. God forbid, I take you away from your stupid magazine."

"Jesse," She stalked over to him, her heels clicking on the tiles. "If you don't tell me why you fought with this kid at school today, I will just call your principal." She threatened, pointing her perfectly filed and maroon painted nail in his face.

"Whatever." He scoffed. He was entirely unaffected. "Like you could pry yourself away from your work."

"Jesse, don't talk to your mother that way." Jay shut off the television and warned his son from the living room. "Tristan," Jay banged his fist against her door. Of course, she couldn't hear him. "Tristan, turn it down!" He tried to get her attention again. Jay sighed deeply and fiddled with the door knob before just pushing the door open. He was embarrassed to expose to himself his daughter who was going over her cheerleading routine in her spanks and sheer lace bra.

"Oh my God, Dad, Haven't you heard of knocking?" She ripped a thin blanket off her bed and held it in front of her.

"Man." Jay slapped his palm over his eyes. "Sorry, please turn down your music." He bustled out of the door frame and shut the door closed as quickly as he could. To avoid that happening again, Tristan turned the volume down almost immediately.

Jay thought about leaving Gia to fight with their son but, what kind of example would he be setting then? He turned around from the direction of his and Gia's bedroom and wandered right into the kitchen to face the conflict head on.

"Go to your room, Jesse!" Frustrated, Gia raised her voice even louder. She could feel her throat shaking and it was beginning to itch inside. She imagined if she could see it, it would be the same color as tomato paste.

"No." Jesse was looking through the fridge for something to drink. He was entirely indifferent to his mother's commands. He knew that they'd lost control of him, he was well aware that neither his mother or father knew how to deal with him anymore.

"Hey," Jay ripped his son's shoulder back, sending the refrigerator slamming. "Listen here, you little shit," He grit his teeth. Jay used to fight with customers at the shop loudly all the time and he could recall a few bombastic arguments with his wife over the years, but in the last year the only person he was ever vicious and hostile with was his son, Jesse. "You're going to call the Brooks and apologize. You're going to listen to your mother and you are going to smarten the hell up, you hear me?" Jesse said nothing. His weasel-esq smile didn't fade for a moment. "This is not a suggestion." Jay slammed Jesse's back into the counter and held him there tightly with an arm shaking under his son's chin.

"Fine." Jesse shook Jay off him and waited until his dad's grip had loosened before walking right by him and heading into his bedroom.

Jay took a moment to collect his thoughts and slow his breath. Sliding his hands through his thick mane, he exhaled and then took notice to Gia, who appeared as exhausted as she did back when their children were newborns and they were up on the hour attending to them.

"We need a battle plan." Jay told her, they met half way in the kitchen and Gia draped her arms around his neck while he held her stomach to his. They needed to work together if they were going to sort Jesse out.

"Or heavy prescription drugs." Gia pouted and tried to make light, but part of her wasn't kidding at all. "Jay, I don't know how to get through to him." She leaned back and searched her husband's eyes for something heroic, something to put all her faith inside and store it there. Still, Gia knew Jay was just as much at a loss when it came to Jesse as she was. "He's moody, crude, and disrespectful. I don't…I just don't know what to do."

"I'll talk to him, alright?" Jay pulled her back against his chest and held her for a moment longer. Gia had been so occupied with work in the last week, he missed her.

"Thank you." She rubbed her face against his greasy mechanic shirt. She also thought it made him so sexy. She remembered being young and first meeting him. He was fixing her best friend's cracked gasket when she drove down to the shop to pick up her friend. He was sun burnt at the time but had the devil dancing in his overworked blue eyes, she couldn't resist. She wanted the dirt under his nails to graze her clean and clear skin. Two days later, Gia had purposely slashed her front tire and drove it over to the shop, just to stare at him again.

"Danielle's here!" Fully dressed in her gym pants and a fitted tee shirt, Tristan left her room and threw her gym bag over her shoulder. "I'm off to practice!" She ran into the kitchen to let her parent's know.

"Have fun!" Gia pulled away her face away from her husband's body to wave her daughter away. Jay simply said goodbye and watched her jog out of their home.

"Why isn't Jesse headed off to practice?" Jay looked down and asked his wife.

She had already unwrapped herself from his arms and let him go. She was gathering up her blackberry and cell phone into her large tote bag and getting ready to head back to work.

"You punch out the coach's son, without a doubt, you get suspended." She stated like Jay should just know.

"How long is going to be out for?"

"Three games, I think."

"Shouldn't he still go to practice?"

"Jesse should do a lot of things that he doesn't do." Rushing, Gia threw her tote bag over her shoulder and ran over to give her husband a simple kiss. "Do you think you can come by the house at lunch tomorrow?" She whispered into his ear.

"Sure, why?"

"I miss you." She bit his lip slightly and then pulled away, never taking her eyes away from his stare. Gia always tried her best to keep their relationship spicy. She feared divorce like it was a fatal disease.

Jay wrestled with the idea of having a talk with his son for a full half hour after his wife had left. What would he say? Jesse had a way of poking every one of Jay's buttons until he was raging mad and ready to kill. Jay tried to tap into his old teenage psyche and remember what it was like to be misunderstood and angry all of the time. Very cautiously, Jay knocked on his son's door lightly.

"Jesse, can I come in?" He spoke right into the wooden door. Jesse didn't answer. "You know, I'll just walk in anyways." After catching Jesse high when he was fourteen, Gia and Jay had made the mutual decision to remove the locks off both of the kids doors and the bathroom. Before Jay could wrap his hand around the door knob, Jesse opened the door up silently and went back to his bed where he was reading over a Sports Illustrated magazine. 'Thanks." Jay couldn't believe how nervous he was. He was attempting to be calm with his son which was a new concept for both Jesse and Jay. "I'm not going to beat around the bush, Jess, okay? Why'd you punch out Wes?" Jay leaned his butt down on the window sill in his son's bedroom and watched as Jesse shut the magazine and toss it down next to him.

"Because the kid's a pussy."

Jay mentally counted how many times he used that as a reason to pick on someone when he was a teenager: **16.**

"How so?" Jay was very conscious in his decision not to raise his voice at Jesse.

"He walks around the school like he owns it. Saying hello to everyone, making small talk with teachers, smiling. He's a total tool."

"So, you punched him because he's pleasant?" Jay tried to piece everything together.

"No." Jesse didn't see it that way. "I punched him because he comes up to me and starts to rag me on my game. Sure, he's just being friendly but, I told him to just back off. I know how to play my game, maybe he should just make himself more open, you know?"

"So, you punched him out because he's pleasant and likes to talk sports?" Jay collected all the data, counting the reasons on his fingers.

"Plus, I know about you and his dad back in the day. Sounds like he had it coming."

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that." Jay put his hand down and said sternly.

"Whatever. You've got a rep, Dad. I'm just giving people what they want."

Jay had no more words to say. He couldn't believe it. Unintentionally and unconsciously, Jay had raised the sequel to himself. He could hope that Jesse would meet a woman like his mother who would make him interested in bettering himself or that he'd have half of the eye opening experiences that Jay did that forced him to change his ways but, Jay was also aware that Jesse might stay this way forever. Change was difficult, Jay knew that for certain.

Leaving his son alone in his bedroom, Jay climbed into his car and headed straight for his kid's high school. He let himself inside through the side doors and wandered into the busy gymnasium where all the rest of Jesse's team mates were working on drills. The cheerleaders, including Tristan, were going over the same routine that Jay had seen his daughter perform in the kitchen at breakfast time, only this time they were going at warp speed. Jay pulled his eyes away from his daughter and found Jimmy wheeling behind his players and cheering them on.

"Atta boy, Davies. Keep those hands up!" He hollered. Jimmy looked annoyed at the sight of Jay wandering over him and though it was see through, Jay just kept smiling at him.

"Hey there, Jimbo!" He attempted to be extra friendly.

"If your sons got a problem with his punishment, tell him to come see me himself."

"No, it's not about that."

"I don't have time to talk right now, Hogart." Jimmy kept a firm watch on his players.

"I just wanted to apologize for my son's behavior. I hope Wes is okay."

"Save it." Jimmy said, the chill clear in his voice, before wheeling away and rounding up his team at the benches to go over a new play he had been working on.

It appeared like Jay had his work cut out from him. He had to do a lot more than go around handing out apologies. He was going to have to demonstrate how much he'd changed to everyone.

**READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!**

Square One - Tom Petty


	6. Lost Ones

Chapter Five: Lost Ones

Chapter Six: Lost Ones

DISCLAIMER: Only own the made up characters. Tristan, Jesse, Wes, and Gia.

Dim candle lights that were underneath glass red covers lined the tables at Amici's and created the perfect intimate setting for five friends to catch up. Paige sat next to her older brother who was rubbing his boyfriend's leg next to him and next to Marco were the sweet husband and wife, Jimmy and Ashley Brooks. The group finished their second bottle of wine between them and grinned at one another above the flickering lights.

"We need to do this more often." Ashley proclaimed while smiling thinly across the table at her friends.

"I agree." Marco nodded. "We should try and gather up more of the old gang."

"Well, Alex is living in Wasaga." Paige shared with the group. "At least that's what I last heard."

"Manny is out in LA." Marco shared, which everybody knew, since she stared on the hot teen series _Motel 72 _as the young gold-digging widow, Natasha Zloty.

"Please, don't bring her up." Ashley still hadn't forgiven her for the drama they both were involved in back when they were hardly young teenagers. "It's bad enough that I have to see her on the TV every Thursday night at seven eastern standard time." She rolled her eyes that were glowing above the light. "Besides, she was never a apart of our clan."

"Well, Spinner," Dylan cleared his throat to correct himself. "I mean, Gavin's always busy. He just got promoted to sergeant." Dylan had remembered reading in the paper last week.

"Good for him." Paige smiled memories of her first boyfriend always made butterflies dance in her stomach. It also forced her to lightly chuckle. She and Spinner were such a funny couple.

"Well, no matter what it takes, I say we have an early reunion." Jimmy brought his cold glass of water to his lips. He was the designated driver for the night.

"Yes," Paige nodded. "And we should invite Jay." She stated while trying to be casual about her suggestion. Everyone's set of eyes stared her down like she was sniffing glue. That was eight eyes, all different shades and sizes, staring her down like she was foreign to her.

"What is with your new fascination with him?" Marco asked.

"Man, I can't believe he's popped back into our daily life." Ashley scoffed.

"She sent him to fix my car yesterday." Marco shared with the group.

"His son punched out Wes." Ashley continued.

"What?!" Dylan and Marco both leaned in, intrigued by the story they knew they'd hear.

"Yes, and they're teammates." Ashley continued to thicken the pot.

"What was it about?" Dylan was not foreign to fighting with team mates being he had played hockey his entire life and was now coaching the Maple Leafs.

"He's a Hogart, he doesn't need a reason." Ashley sipped her wine glass very delicately like it would break if she drank any other way.

"Jay did come into the gym at practice yesterday and apologized, though." Jimmy nodded.

"What? You didn't tell me that." Ashley turned all her attention over on her husband.

"It's not a huge deal." Jimmy shrugged.

"I wish you wouldn't put up with him." She went back to including everyone at the table in conversation. "That family is clearly a mess."

"I don't know about that." Jimmy wasn't a big fan of Jay or Jesse Hogart but, he wasn't going to pass judgment on the entire clan. "Tristan has always been very pleasant. She puts the cheer in cheerleader." He smiled.

"Who's Tristan?" Marco asked, feeling very out of the loop.

"The daughter." Said Jimmy.

"And I work with Gia at the magazine. She's a brilliant writer, very insightful and quick."

"Doesn't sound like the Hogart type." Dylan laughed.

"Well, she married Jay clearly she's demented."

**X**

"Jayson, please, go to sleep." Exhausted from wildly jumping her husband's bones, Gia was tucked under the covers in nothing but a pair of Jay's boxers. Her eyes were shut and she had her back facing Jay. It didn't matter though, she knew him well enough. If there was no grizzly bear noises coming from his mouth and he wasn't kicking her, he wasn't asleep and if he wasn't asleep, he had something dancing inside his mind.

"How do you know I'm not asleep?" Jay slanted his eyes at his wife.

"You think I have to look at you to know what's going on?" She yawned and rolled over onto her back and then planted her face on his stomach. "What's going on in your busy head?"

"I'm really backed up at the shop." He told her, generically. It couldn't have been an easier lie. It surprised Gia to hear him admit that because she knew him to have very dedicated work ethic when it came to his career.

"Are you going to go in tomorrow?" She asked, her eyes still closed tightly.

"I might. We'll see." Mindlessly, he picked up one hand and began to play with her strands of wild midnight colored hair.

"Anything else?"

Truthfully, Jay couldn't shake thoughts of who Jesse was becoming out of his head and the fact that both Marco and Jimmy wouldn't forgive him was causing a rough itch inside his skin that he wasn't able to scratch away. He must've been all kinds of horrible back in high school.

"No, I'm just restless." He told his wife.

"Want me to make some tea?"

"No, I will." Jay used that as his an excuse to get up out of bed and beat the built up energy out of him. He pulled the sheets off him and left his son to wrap herself up in them like a caterpillar spins itself into its cocoon. He quietly tip toed through the hallway even though there was nobody but, Gia to really wake up. Tristan was sleeping over at one of her friend's from the squad's place and Jesse was out doing things that Jay didn't even want to think about with his friends.

Scratching his chest and yawning, Jay filled up their steel kettle with water from the tap and left it on the warm element to boil. While waiting, Jay sat down on his living room coach where Gia had her work laptop sitting open on the coffee table. Usually, he'd only check his emails at work but, considering it was one in the morning and the only things on television was infomercials and reruns of the _Golden Girls, _Jay logged onto his account and clicked on his Inbox.

He'd sent out a few e-mails to old friends, Towerz, Sean, Alex, Amy, Manny, and the Montreal Boys, at least the ones who managed to stay out of jail. Still, nobody answered him back. He was especially hoping that Manny would've. He'd sent her three e-mails in the last month.

"Fourth times a charm." He said only to himself and began to compose another letter.

**To: **.

**From:**HogartStyxAutobody

_I'm judging by the unanswered messages that you really don't care to get back to me. That's understandable, I guess. I know you're busy with a Hollywood career, but if you ever find the time to drop me a line I'd really appreciate it. My cell phone number is the same as it is in all the other emails. _

_I'd really like to talk to you._

_ Jay._

_P.S. My daughter will kill me if I don't let you know, she thinks Natasha should end up with Taylor instead of Mick on the show. Or maybe it's the other way around. I don't really know._

The sound of the kettle screaming was just the sign Jay needed to send off his message and shut down the screen. Perhaps, he needed to move on the way the rest of his old high school classmates had but, he couldn't help but want to continue on his apology crusade.

READ AND REVIEW PLEASE.

LOST ONES - LAURYN HILL.


	7. Like Toy Soilders PT One

Chapter Seven: Like Toy Soldiers Part One

Chapter Seven: Like Toy Soldiers Part One

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Degrassi or anything associated with it. I only own the made up characters Wes, Gia, Tweak, Tristan, Breanne, and Jesse.**

"Where the hell is everybody?" Breanne's husky voice smashed through the empty gym like thunder would. She moved in front of Tristan, who was hunched over and ready to crawl back into bed on the bleachers, with anger and frustration honest on her face.

"It's seven am on Saturday, Breanne." Tristan was careful not to call her Bree or Anne. "They're probably nursing a hang over or just in bed." Tristan tried to say without being patronizing.

"Well, you're here. You got my text."

Unfortunately, Tristan had checked her phone at six thirty in the morning which was beeping because of Breanne had sent out a mass text to the entire Trojan squad which was all in capitals:

**GIRLS! ASAP IN THE GYM.**

**700! **

**B. AUGUST**

It would appear that Tristan was the only one who checked her phone or who truly lived in fear of the wrath of Captain Breanne August.

"Are they oblivious that the Sparkle Classic is in a week? Unless we have a killer routine down pat, we won't even be considered. They only take one high school from each district." She ranted about things Tristan already knew. Breanne was pacing like an ant in ant hill would while building their home. She must've downed a Venti something at Starbucks before opening up the gym or perhaps there really was no rest for the wicked.

"It's Saturday morning." Tristan tried to reason with her captain. "They probably haven't even checked their phones."

"Then, they shouldn't even be on the squad. They have zero dedication."

"Come on, Breanne. Wait another minute." Tristan suggested. Secretly, she just hoped it would give her more time to keep her eyes closed and resting.

"No, it's already seven twenty. I'm done!" She confirmed and then stomped over to the bleachers and began to throw her things back into her Lulu Lemon gym bag. It matched the colors of their squad: red, blue, and an outline of black.

"That's probably good." Tristan said, cluelessly. "You could use some sleep, I bet."

"No, I'm done with this squad. I give up! You're all hopeless!" Breanne released all her anger on just Tristan, who had popped up from her former position and had exploded her sleepy eyes in Breanne's direction. "Here, you be captain!" She pointed in Tristan's face. "Good luck! You can't do a back hand spring to save your life." She said like it was insulting.

Before, Tristan could let her eyes adjust to the blinding gymnasium lights, Breanne was gone.

Tristan stretched out her arms and dug through her purse for her thin CD case. She flipped through her small selection for a good song to choreograph a routine to. Lazily, she dragged her feet up to the little table where the small portable stereo sat and popped in a burnt CD, her best friend Danielle had made for her once. She decided on track three "Killa" by Cherish and Yung Joc. Without warming up, she began to throw her hips to left and right and moved her head around in circle. She had never choreographed anything on her own. You never dared project your own idea into one of Breanne's sex-inspired routines. She tried to dancing around in hopes something would come to her. She didn't care how silly she might've looked; she was alone in her abandoned school gym. Or so she thought.

She had turned the music up so loud and was breathing out in sync that she never even heard the door open or the sound of sneakers squeaking across the hardwood floor.

"Nice moves." Laughed a voice that surprised Tristan so much that she tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. "Whoa, my bad." Wes Brooks had a huge grin that took over most of his face. He slammed off the song and extended his hands down to pick Tristan back up onto her feet.

"I didn't think anyone else was here." Exhaling deeply, Tristan held her pelvis and laughed due to her embarrassment.

"Same. I always come here Saturday mornings and I've never seen you here before. Actually, nobody comes here on Saturday mornings. That's why I like it." He admitted.

"Sorry." She stared down at her running shoes, so he wouldn't see her flustered pink cheeks; also she didn't want to stare at the bruise around his eye that she knew her brother gave him. "This won't become a pattern, I promise."

"I don't mind." He shrugged his shoulders and moved over to the stereo to flip through her CD case. "What are you doing here?"

"Breanne called for an emergency cheer practice." She explained while watching him.

"And you were the only one who showed up?" He balanced his butt against the table while looking at her collection.

"Yeah." She stormed out pretty pissed and now, I'm the new captain of the Merrymont Trojans Cheerleaders."

"No way, really?" Grinning widely again, he looked up at her to see her nod proudly. "Congrats."

"Thanks. Except, the pressure's on because Sparkle Classic tryouts our Thursday and we don't have a routine."

"Hence the dancing?"

"Yeah." She blushed.

"Well, you've got quite a mash up of music here." He held up her case in his hand.

"It's not all mine. Some are Danielle's." She excused any chance that there was a super girly CD in there which she knew there was. Everybody knew Wes only listened to music with a pumping beat and thick bass line. Tristan was more of a top 40 kind of girl, she liked her Britney Spears, boy bands, and every now and then she would curl up and sink into a Faith Hill song.

"Can I help you come up with something?" He pushed himself off the table and offered.

"If you want. Don't you have to practice?"

"I've got time." He looked her up and down from her pony tail to her worn out Pumas. "Show me what you got so far." He reached back to turn the song back on.

Tristan took a deep breath and tried to ignore the fact that Wes Brooks was talking to her and watching her. She just moved.

"I like it." He smiled watching her dance around. She was cute, he thought. He laughed as she felt comfortable enough to smile and make a few goofy faces. "Here, watch this." He waited for the chorus to end before standing next to her and showing off a few raw moves he'd learnt from watching Usher videos on repeat.

"Nice!" She moved to the music and attempted to follow him.

Together, the two came up with a routine that Tristan felt was too fresh for any judge to ignore. Even though she was thrilled to be in the presence of Wes Brooks, she was even more excited to be in charge of the squad now. If they got to go to the Sparkle Classic, they'd get to fly out to LA and one of the judge's was Toronto's own, Manuella Santos. She was the star of Tristan's favorite show. She never missed an episode, she'd tape them on the nights she had cheer or had to work late.

**X**

"Where have you been?" Ashley asked her son, as he let himself through the front door of their house. He was panting, but had a giant smile drawn on his face. She knew Wes went to practice every morning, but it was ten to noon. He had never been that late before, usually he was back by ten.

"I was practicing." He said, wiping sweat from around his lips.

"I know, but it's almost lunch time." She watched him from the living room where she was folding a clean load of darks and watching a repeat of Dr. Phil.

"Well, I got a late start." He admitted. He dropped his bag at the door next to the shoes he'd kicked off and crashed down on the coach next to his mom.

"You didn't get into any trouble, did you?"

"No." He shook his head and chuckled. "One of the cheerleader's was there and she was working on a new routine."

"Who?" Ashley focused all of her attention on her son. She dropped the navy blue dish towel that she'd been folding back into the laundry hamper. "Was it Whitney? Oh, tell me it was Whitney!" She gushed.

Ever since Wes joined the Trojan team in his freshman year, Ashley had been infatuated with the idea of him and one of the cheerleader's Whitney Doane. Whitney was beautiful like a soap opera character was with a face that was beautifully sculpted and blonde hair that never went flat or dry. Whitney and Wes had flirted with one another for years, but she was always playing games with him and trying to make him jealous. Wes was getting pretty tired of it.

"No, not Whitney." He rolled his eyes away from his mom and tried to watch the program she was watching.

"What about Breanne? Captain of the cheerleaders and the basketball star?" She poked her son, playfully. He got his mother's point loud and clear.

"No. Breanne quit the squad actually." He informed her.

"Really?" Ashley was genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, that's why Tristan was there. She's the new captain, she needed to come up with a routine for the Sparkle Classic."

"Tristan?" Ashley thought about it for a moment. "Tristan Hogart?" She didn't even attempt to disguise the disgust in her voice.

"Yeah, I think that's her name."

"That's the sister of that little tool that sucker punched you."

"I know." Wes didn't seem to care about that fact.

"Daughter of the man who confined your father to a wheelchair."

"That's not entirely true, Mom." This had always been a sore subject with his mother, so Wes rarely brought it up. "That Rick guy did."

"Yes, thanks to rumors Jayson Hogart spread."

"She is innocent. She's not like either her brother or dad and I never said I was dating her. I just said we hung out."

"Well, don't." Ashley said adamantly and then turned up Dr. Phil.

Wes knew better than to test or argue with his mom, but since his mother was so against Tristan, it made him a little more interested in her. Besides, he had made plans with Tristan to go shoot hoops down at the park later that night. He couldn't just cancel now, that would be rude and his parents had taught him better than that.

**X**

Sitting on the porch in his backyard, Jesse Hogart was drinking whiskey straight from the bottle with three of his friends who were getting just loaded as he was before going out to crash some party.

Tristan checked her watch while stepping outside onto the porch to grab her shoes. It was almost eight pm; she was supposed to meet Wes in fifteen. She had dressed in an old hoodie and a pair of gym shorts she'd had forever.

"Going to go work off your fat ass?" His eyes thin and glossy, her big brother called at her.

She looked up from lacing up her shoes and just shook her head at him. Even though she was a blur, he could see she was very disapproving. His friends snickered though and that was good enough for him.

"Why don't you come over here and give me a little lap dance?" Jesse's best friend, Tweak hooted at her and then patted his open legs.

"Jerk off." She shot while standing back on her feet. "I'm out." She went to turn around, but froze at the sound of her brother's angry drunk voice.

"Where you going?"

"Out." She turned around and said, rudely.

"With who? Danielle?"

"Oh, bring her over. She's so fine!" A guy Tristan didn't recognize said while dipping his head back and daydreaming about her best friend.

"No. Wes."

"Brooks?!" Jesse shot to attention. "That prick? Since when were you fucking him?"

"Don't be gross, Jesse!" She shot. "We're just playing basketball."

"Is that all?" He slugged back down in the plastic patio chair. "Whatever. He's just hanging out with you to get to me." He scoffed while planting a doubtful seed in her brain. "Come on, guys, let's go." He got up and reached for his dad's car keys on the table next to all the empty beer cans they'd finished off.

"Don't drive, Jesse. Don't be stupid." Tristan reached to take them from him, but he just walked right by, laughing at her and calling her a slut.

Yes, I know this chapter had zero to do with Jay's crusade for forgiveness but part two will. This is just the other storyline forming. Let me know what you think!

Like Toy Soldiers - Eminem.


	8. Like Toy Soilders PT Two

Chapter Eight: Like Toy Soldiers Part Two

**Chapter Eight: Like Toy Soldiers Part Two**

**DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Degrassi. I just own the made up characters of Gia, Jesse, and Wes. **

"Thank you so much, Jay." Paige was extravagantly grateful to her new possible-friend, Jay Hogart.

"Don't thank me until she shows up." Jay checked his watch around his wrist as the two former Degrassi students waited in a secluded booth at the Moxie's they were waiting at. "I told her to meet us here at quarter after seven." He explained to her.

"Don't worry about it." She smiled and glanced over the wine list. "I know she's busy."

"Gia's never been very punctual." He excused his late wife.

"It's not my strongest point, either." Paige put the wine list back against the wall and folded her hands over the table. "Do you think she'll like my idea? I mean, at least consider it?" Paige asked Jay, but they both knew he wouldn't be able to have an actual answer. "I've been trying to bring it up in full staff meetings, but I haven't be able to get a word in yet."

"Well, you won't have that problem now. She'll be all yours."

"Thanks again for setting this up, Jay."

"It's the least I can do."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Her heels clicked at a fast speed over the dark stained wood of the restaurant floor. She appeared in front of the table and wrapped her arms around her husband first. It was strange how strong their relationship was even through out the years. They managed to keep each other on their toes and interested in one another day in and day out. She pressed her lips against his and she'd have kept them there happily if Paige was sitting anxiously across from him. "Paige, hey, I'm sorry I'm late. Jennifer had many issues with the last issue, you know how she can be."

"Oh, do I." Paige was no stranger to lectures from the editor in chief of _Energy _magazine. "Thanks for coming at all." Paige told her boss while watching Jay stand up out of the booth so his wife could slide in before him. It was a shock to her. She was aware Jay was attempting to make up for how he used to be, she knew he had reformed, but seeing the boy who used to jack cars and smoke up in the guy's washroom every second period treat his wife like a queen was still a strange shock.

"So, what's this great idea you've got?" Gia's glossy lips shone in the dim lights of the restaurant and she folded her menu opened before her.

**X**

"Why the hell are we out here?" From the backseat, one of Jesse's sloppy haired friends asked. He was smoking on his third cigarette in the last fifteen minutes. "I thought we were going to that party." He hollered between puffs.

Jesse ignored speed bumps while driving in Tweak's car along with the speed limit and potholes. Tweak was fully loaded and everybody in the car called Jesse the greatest drunk driver in Toronto. Jesse's hand was sloppily hanging over the wheel holding his half drank beer can while his other hand fiddled with the volume dial. Sublime pumped through the speakers and out of their windows to disturb the entire neighborhood.

"Why are we out here? Spying on your sister?" Tweak asked while sticking his head out the window for a little more air.

"Maybe. Is that an issue?" Jesse said underneath the music. "If you guys want to go to that party you can,"

"Let's go then!" His friend in the backseat yelled. One wheel over the curb, Jesse's brakes screeched as he pulled over sharply.

"There. Get the fuck out!" He shouted. His friend in the backseat was quick to comply. He'd suffered the wrath of Jesse many times and he was still dumbfounded he'd live to tell the tale. Tweak, on the other hand, Jesse's best friend, only laughed. "Fuck you, bitch." He pushed his best friend against the door. Tweak had given control of his body over to the alcohol and limply slouched out of the car onto the bare midnight covered street. Before the passenger seat door was closed, Jesse had taken off.

He was cruising and finishing his drink when the bright lights shone back at him and he drove his car right into the parked car on the side street, only thirteen minutes after pushing his friends out of his vehicle. Jesse didn't understand, he didn't have time, too. He knew he didn't have his brights on or his headlights on at all, what was so bright? Was he dead?

He lifted his face off the steering wheel and out of the air bag that had exploded. Blood came slipping out of his forehead smoothly like that was what it was supposed to do.

"Step out of the car," A policeman called from his car, standing behind his open driver's seat door.

**X**

"Well, you've given me a lot to think about." Gia finally said while taking a large gulp of iced water with lemon at the bottom of the glass. "I do like your first idea, but I have to run it by the rest of the groups." Gia couldn't just snap her fingers and make all of Paige's dreams come true like her husband would've loved her, too.

"Oh, I understand. I'm just glad I could get this time to sit down and fully explain what I've been working on these days."

"I promise to share it with Jennifer and the rest of the editors. We are all aware of your continuous great work. I swear we will consider everything you've said, except - "

"Except what?" Paige's entire body froze tense and her mind worried quickly.

"Well, I love the health make over idea, taking people who've been self destructive and unhealthy and who've recovered, giving them full life makeovers, whatever they need it. It's sweet and wholesome, just what_ Energy_ is missing, but…" Paige was unprepared for whatever Gia was going to say. "Your other idea, involving Ellie Nash to do a piece about mass media's projection and mutilation of society's health. I can almost guarantee the office will say no."

"Why?" Ellie was Paige's friend and had been for a long time. Jay was also a little surprised, even though he didn't understand most of Paige and Gia's conversation. He just viewed it as a great way for him to get on Ellie's good side, she was defiantly on the list of people he needed forgiveness from.

"I like some of her pieces, I've read all three of her books, I went to one of her lectures, I like her, I do. She's very honest and cutting edge, but she's controversial and she's always got pressing law suits on her for the things she says."

"But, they're the truth." Paige argued.

"That's not _Energy_, though. We like to stay as far away from trouble as we can. You can understand that, surely."

Jay was happy when his cell phone started to furiously buzz inside his pants pockets. It gave him a reason to excuse himself from the girl's intense discussion over things he didn't really understand.

"Girls, will you excuse me?" He smiled at them both and waited for his wife to move, so he could scoot out and into the men's room. He needed to talk away from the noise.

"Jayson speaking." He answered his phone. He didn't recognize the number and liked to sound professional, just in case it was a customer or work.

"Mr. Hogart, this is officer Sexsmith from the downtown police station, number 62, we have your son, Jesse James Hogart, under arrest here."

"What?!" Jayson wished he could've honestly told the officer that he probably had the wrong Hogart, but getting arrested was more than likely something Jesse was capable of.

**X**

Gia was pissed that she couldn't directly go to the cell where her son was being held and just cut off his circulation. She couldn't believe she had to cut a business dinner short on account to her son being arrested, nevermind that, she couldn't believe her son had managed to be arrested for driving under the influence, open liquor in a vehicle, driving an unregistered car, driving without a license, disturbing the peace, and going over the speed limit.

Jay, on the other hand, his face was fully holding all thirteen shades of red and his insides were burning with all the hostility he had worked up. He felt like he was sixteen again, just angry.

Officer Sexsmith led them behind the thick black door to an office where Jay had no choice but to be humiliated. He knew he'd look like a tool of a father considering his son had just been arrested but, now he was embarrassed as a person.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hogart, Sergeant Mason." Officer Sexsmith introduced the two parties to one another.

"Jayson Hogart, I always thought you'd darken my door, not your son." Hastily, Gavin "Spinner" Mason said, a smile snickering smile pulling over his face.

**XXX**

**Not the best chapter, but let me know what you guys think! Suggestions and comments are always appreciated.**

**- Chellie. **


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